


Back To You

by Say_Anything



Series: Life After The War... [1]
Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Glimmer needs to apologize, and Adora needs to hear that she's good enough, no beta we die like men, set post end of series again!, that's all
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-22
Updated: 2019-11-22
Packaged: 2021-02-26 18:54:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,557
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21523420
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Say_Anything/pseuds/Say_Anything
Summary: After the war ends, Adora and Glimmer find a quiet moment to reconcile.
Relationships: Adora/Glimmer (She-Ra)
Series: Life After The War... [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1567645
Comments: 21
Kudos: 147





	Back To You

**Author's Note:**

> *Hurls another oneshot into the void*  
> An idea for Glimmer apologizing to Adora got a little self-indulgent, but here ya go...¯\\_(ツ)_/¯
> 
> I'll get back to my AU after this one I promise D: Probably...

Adora lay in bed staring up at the dark ceiling, unblinking. It was hard to believe that she was back in Bright Moon after… Everything that had happened over the past twenty-four hours. The war was over.

It was _over_.

Horde Prime and his armada had been destroyed, and with Etheria’s Horde helping them, nonetheless. And now… Peace? Adora wasn’t entirely sure. She supposed there were still some things to work out. But… The danger was gone. Officially.

She knew she should feel happy, grateful—But all she really felt was smothering panic. What was she supposed to do now? She’d been a solider her entire life. She’d never known a world without war.

None of them had, she realized.

All of the Princesses, Catra, Bow… They’d been fighting their whole lives for Etheria, and now that they’d succeeded—

Adora wondered if they were just a lost as she was. After all, there hadn’t been a massive celebration upon their victory. They’d all simply retreated quietly to their own corners of the world. Her friends were nearby, she knew, in their own rooms—But still, everyone felt so far away.

Adora’s skin was beginning to itch uncomfortably, the blanket stabbing at her like one thousand tiny needles. She kicked it off, tossing once, twice, three times, before rolling onto her back again, gaze returning to the ceiling.

Why did she feel so uneasy?

Instinct told her to get up, walk the castle, maybe go to Glimmer’s room?

That had been her answer for restlessness, or nightmares, in the past. But these days, she didn’t quite know where she stood with the queen. They’d fought together in the final battle, of course. And it had been Glimmer, of all people, who had convinced them to let Catra return to Bright Moon. But since then, they hadn’t really had a moment to talk.

Adora had to wonder if she even wanted to. She and Catra had been—just—strangely close on the journey home. For all Adora knew, she’d been pushed out of both their lives. If no one needed Adora. And no one needed She-Ra… Really, what was she supposed to do now?

Deciding she was too anxious to pretend sleep was coming to her any time soon, Adora pushed herself out of bed and headed for the door.

She’d just put a hand on the doorknob when a knock from the other side startled her backward. Blinking, wondering who could want something from her this late, Adora slowly opened the door, peeking through the crack to see—

“Glimmer?”

She was holding a purple pillow to her chest, not unlike a shield, and her lilac eyes were downcast, focused intently on her shuffling toes. She looked up when Adora said her name, a slew of emotions passing over her face.

“I—,” she seemed to stumble over her own words, lips twisting into a frown. “I couldn’t sleep…”

For some reason, knowing she wasn’t alone in her late-night suffering gave Adora a sense of comfort.

“Me neither,” she admitted, glancing at Glimmer’s pillow. “Did…Were… Did you want to come in?”

Glimmer bit her lip, still staring at the floor as she nodded. “If that’s ok.”

Adora couldn’t help the small smirk that crossed her lips. “But you hate my bed.”

It was no secret that Glimmer thought Adora basically slept on a rock. Most of their sleepovers in the past had been in Glimmer’s room, and her soft nest-bed, for a reason.

Seeming to misunderstand Adora’s tone, Glimmer offered a shrug and began to turn away. “Sorry to bother you then—,”

“Glimmer,” Adora snapped her hand out, catching Glimmer’s wrist and pulling her into the room gently. “I’m sorry. I was teasing. You’re more than welcome.”

Glimmer looked up at her with eyes that shone in the moonlight, offering a tight smile before trudging towards Adora’s bed. Adora watched, closing the door behind her, as Glimmer set her pillow on the edge. She fluffed it slightly before lying down, her eyes meeting Adora’s once again in the darkness.

Adora wasn’t really sure what to think. They hadn’t shared a bed since Glimmer had become queen. Before that, their sleepovers had been commonplace, especially after Adora’s nightmares. But after everything that had happened between them in the last few weeks—should it feel weird that Glimmer was here? Because… It didn’t. It felt good. It made the suffocating panic she’d been fighting all night, slip away like sand through her fingers.

Approaching the bed on wooden legs, Adora took up her place on the other side, curling as close to the edge as she could even when Glimmer left her with barely any blanket use. Not like it mattered. She felt hot and clammy and cold all at the same time, her heart racing in her chest. There was silence between them for a long time, so long in fact, that Adora assumed Glimmer had fallen asleep.

When she heard Glimmer mumble, she nearly jumped out of her skin.

“Do you feel weird?”

 _Allow me to count the ways_ , Adora mused.

“Yeah, kinda. I feel like—Something is wrong. Like we should still be _doing_ something. But… It’s over. There’s nothing left to do.” Turning onto her back, Adora dared to peek at Glimmer out of the corner of her eye, surprised to see that she’d shifted too and was also on her back, staring up at the ceiling.

“There’s still stuff to do,” Glimmer objected softly. “We have to figure out how to help Scorpia. And Catra. Huntara sent us a message from the Crimson Waste. And the remnants of the Horde—,”

“But there’s no war to fight,” Adora interrupted, voicing the one thing that was making her feel like crawling out of her own skin.

Glimmer pursed her lips, nodding once.

“I’ve been fighting this war all my life,” Adora continued, stretching one arm up towards the ceiling as if she could trace the tiles above. “We all have. I’m not sure… What am I supposed to do when there’s no war?”

“Do what normal people do,” Glimmer replied after a thoughtful pause.

Adora frowned, daring to roll over and face Glimmer fully now. “What do normal people do?”

Glimmer peered at her out of the corner of her eye, shrugging. “Get married, have babies, live happily ever after.”

Adora wrinkled her nose. “That’s it?”

Biting her lip, Glimmer looked back at the ceiling before continuing. “People do whatever they want, I guess. They live each day without worrying about their friends or family dying. Or the world ending…”

Adora clenched her fists into her pillow, fighting the urge to reach for Glimmer’s hand. She sounded so sad. Adora wondered if she was referring to herself now. If that was the case, then the guilt she must be feeling was pretty clear.

“Glimmer—,”

“It’s weird having Dad back,” Glimmer said suddenly, a wet chuckle bubbling out of her. “I’d accepted that he was gone so long ago. I mean… It’s nice to have him back. But it—It gives me hope, y’know? Hope… That I shouldn’t have.”

This time Adora did reach for her hand, fingers brushing gently against soft skin, before resting against the mattress, allowing Glimmer to make the next move.

“Hope that she’ll come back too?”

Glimmer nodded, and Adora could see her lip wobbling in the moonlight as a stream of silver flashed down her face. Before Adora could react, she lifted a fist to her cheek and rubbed away the trail of tears, sniffling loudly.

“Maybe she will. Maybe we can figure out—,” Adora murmured, trying for comfort, but Glimmer just laughed ruefully.

“Don’t do that, Adora. Please.” Adora ducked her head. “It’s easier to tell myself to keep moving forward if I know she’s not coming back. Besides… Even if she did… What would she think of me now?”

Finally, Glimmer turned her head to face Adora. Her face was a mask of pain, wide eyes shining with tears.

“She’d think that you’ve become a wonderful queen,” Adora tried again, reaching for Glimmer’s hand once more and lacing their fingers together. Glimmer did not pull away, but she also did not respond to the touch.

“Would she?” Glimmer choked as more tears spilled down her cheeks. “Or would she see the same disaster I’ve always been?”

“Glimmer, please don’t—,”

“The queen who brought Horde Prime to Etheria, who almost destroyed the world, who gave in and trusted one of their most dangerous enemies, who used her new power for her own advantages, who—who—,” Glimmer stopped, sniffing and then finally squeezing Adora’s hand so tightly it was almost painful. “The queen who broke her best friend’s heart.”

Adora’s entire body sagged underneath a crippling weight and she closed her eyes, squeezing Glimmer’s hand in return. She wanted to brush it off, to stop Glimmer’s tears and tell her that everything was fine. But it wasn’t. Even as she remembered Glimmer’s cutting words, she felt her own tears beginning to sting her eyes, her chest aching with each rapid beat of her heart.

“I—,”

Glimmer rolled onto her side, lifting Adora’s hand until it was pressed against her chest and she could feel her heartbeat fluttering just as fast.

“I never got to apologize to you,” Glimmer said, her voice suddenly barely above a whisper. “And I wanted to so badly. And then… Talking to Catra in that cell, realizing how much we had in common, how badly we’d both hurt you… I never wanted to be like her, Adora. I always wanted to be someone you could trust. Depend on. I never wanted you to feel like you were anything less than loved.”

Adora felt the tears coming, spilling down her cheeks as Glimmer spoke. She wanted them to stop, she wanted to be strong, to be the one to comfort and protect Glimmer. Like she’d promised. But she couldn’t. A single sob escaped her, and she curled inward on herself, one hand still latched between both of Glimmer’s.

“Adora,” Glimmer’s own voice was choked, but she reached out and brushed her fingers across Adora’s cheek. Adora tried not to flinch, she really did, but she failed, and Glimmer pulled away quickly.

“I don’t blame you, Adora,” Glimmer continued, her voice quiet, timid, so unlike her. “I knew saying it would hurt you. And I was so angry, and lost, and alone. I wanted someone to hurt as much as I was hurting. So I lashed out at you. Because you’re _you_. You’re my best friend. You’re safe. You’re always there for me. But the second I—I knew it was too much.” Glimmer paused, her hands tightening around Adora’s. “If it’s anyone’s fault my mother is gone, it’s mine. I was always pushing the boundaries, disobeying her orders, forcing her to cross lines to fix my mistakes.”

Adora opened her eyes into Glimmer’s, and this time, when the queen reached out to touch her face, she did not flinch away.

“My mother,” Glimmer continued. “Was the only one who could have done what had to be done that day.”

“But it was my—,”

Glimmer quieted her, shaking her head and stroking Adora’s cheek with her thumb. “She made a sacrifice for her people, for her family and for her world. Your destiny as She-Ra…As _Adora_ … We still needed you. If we’d lost you that day. If… _I’d_ lost you that day…,”

Adora’s heart skipped a beat at Glimmer’s words and she blinked, looking into those shimmering violet eyes.

“I should never have blamed you for that,” Glimmer whimpered. “I know how hard you try. I’ve been there, watching you grow into your responsibilities as She-Ra every step of the way. I know you’ve never forgiven yourself for the times you fell short and instead of telling you that you’re not good enough… I should have been telling you just how perfect you are, Adora.”

Adora’s breath caught, a painful lump forming in her throat, eyes beginning to burn fiercely. Glimmer leaned forward, resting her forehead against Adora’s and letting her eyes slip shut, her breath ghosting over Adora’s lips as she whispered, “You are enough. You always have been.”

Adora choked and then began to sob, clutching Glimmer’s sleep shirt as her body shook. Glimmer had her face between soft hands, her forehead pressed firmly against Adora’s. She held Adora as she cried—cried for the words she’d always needed, always wanted, to hear.

“I missed you,” Glimmer breathed, running her thumbs across Adora’s cheeks to brush away the tears.

But her words only made Adora cry harder. She ducked her head, tucking it underneath Glimmer’s chin as she closed the distance between them and tangled every limb she could with her friend’s. She clung tightly, arms wrapped tightly around Glimmer’s waist, tears soaking into the collar of her shirt. But Glimmer didn’t move away. She cradled Adora to her chest, stroking her fingers through tangled hair, lips occasionally brushing the top of her head.

“I’m so sorry …” Glimmer’s own voice cracked and Adora couldn’t do anything but nod that she’d heard.

Nod that it was okay.

That _they’d_ be okay.

* * *

Adora was still tangled up in Glimmer when she woke the next morning, her cheek pressed to the queen’s chest, an unfortunate crust of tears making her face stick to the sleep shirt. She remembered falling asleep in Glimmer’s arms. She remembered rekindling that warmth, that support, that love that had always existed between them.

It felt right, like old times, to lay here beside her, snuggled so close it was difficult to tell where she began and where Glimmer ended. Lifting her head, Adora propped her chin on Glimmer’s collar, gazing at the still sleeping queen. Her face was also stained with dried tears, some making her eyelashes stick together, but she looked so peaceful. More at ease than Adora had seen her in the months since her coronation. Her pink lips were slightly parted, and they looked so soft, Adora noted, inviting.

Adora shook the thought away quickly and began to untangle herself, her body flushing hot, when Glimmer grumbled softly. Adora froze, watching as Glimmer’s face scrunched and then stretched into a wide yawn, along with the rest of her body.

Adora giggled as Glimmer’s chest rose, lifting her head with it.

“G’morning,” Glimmer slurred as she took her hands away from Adora’s back to rub the tears and sleep from her eyes.

“Hi,” Adora replied, gaze riveted on the sparkles in Glimmer’s hair that caught the morning light.

“Did you end up sleeping?” Glimmer asked, the concern in her voice palpable as she let her hands drift back to gently stroke Adora’s back.

Tempted to let her eyes close again and give in to Glimmer’s touch, Adora fought off another yawn. “Mhm…”

“And,” Glimmer’s voice held a tinge of nervousness now. “How do you feel this morning?”

Adora looked up at her and blinked. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, like,” Glimmer swallowed and looked up at the ceiling. “Do you feel like you can forgive me? We didn’t get that far last night.”

“Oh,” Adora remembered falling asleep despite her sobs, listening to Glimmer whisper ‘I’m sorry’ over and over again. “Glimmer—,”

Glimmer met her gaze again, her brows furrowing together and forming a cute little worry line. Reaching up, in a move that Glimmer always seemed to use on her, Adora cradled her cheek with one hand, thumb stroking over the soft skin.

“I forgave you a long time ago.”

“Before I even said sorry?” Glimmer asked, a faint blush coloring her cheeks even as her eyes widened.

Adora smiled softly and nodded.

“Ugh, Adora,” Glimmer threw her head back, draping one arm over her eyes and sighing. “How are you so _good_?”

Adora shrugged, letting her hand fall away from Glimmer’s face to toy with the collar of her sleep shirt instead. “It comes with being the savior of the universe.”

Glimmer snorted, and then giggled, and then laughed out loud and the bounce of her body underneath Adora soon had the blonde laughing as well. Their giggles quieted as soon as Glimmer lifted a hand and ran her fingers through Adora’s hair. It lay loose around her shoulders, bangs falling into her eyes. When Glimmer brushed them back, Adora felt her cheeks burn, but she managed to hold Glimmer’s soft gaze.

“I like your hair down,” Glimmer murmured, her fingers still toying with the loose strands. “It’s really pretty.”

“It gets in my eyes,” Adora’s complaint was soft, her gaze still trained on Glimmer’s.

“Mine does too now,” Glimmer agreed, her hand leaving Adora’s hair to brush back her own—much to Adora’s disappointment. She watched Glimmer play with her own bangs for a minute, before reaching for her hand and tangling their fingers together against her chest.

Glimmer’s smile was soft, but there was a twinge of sadness in her eyes. “You don’t have to forgive me all at once, you know?”

“What’s the point of forgiving you in pieces?” Adora asked, nose wrinkling in confusion.

“I just mean, I know that what I said was awful. And I know that you… um, tend to hold onto things, a little bit.”

Adora scoffed when Glimmer poked the tip of her nose playfully. But she didn’t deny Glimmer’s words.

“I know we have to work on this, like Bow said. Sometimes being a friend is the hardest thing you can do.”

“But it’s worth it?” Adora asked, her chest aching for the reassurance. She didn’t want to ever lose Glimmer again.

“Of course it is,” Glimmer replied, placing her other hand over their interlaced ones. “Especially with you.”

Adora felt something shift as they looked at one another, something she couldn’t quite place, but suddenly, her hand was tightening on Glimmer’s and she was pushing herself up with her toes until she hovered over the queen. She paused then, eyes searching Glimmer’s face. The same look of anticipation that Adora knew could be found in her own expression was mirrored in Glimmer’s. She looked up at Adora reverently, and then her eyes began to close—

Adora didn’t wait a second longer. Letting her own eyes slip shut, she closed the distance between them, her lips landing lightly against Glimmer’s.

Colors exploded behind Adora’s eyes as they solidified the kiss, her chest tightening with warmth. Warmth so powerful it made her entire body light up like a star. She felt Glimmer shift underneath her and then one of her arms found its way around Adora’s neck, pulling her closer as the kiss deepened.

A small sound, somewhere between a whimper and a sigh came from the back of Glimmer’s throat as Adora brushed her tongue along her bottom lip and the blonde’s body tingled with electricity. The kiss didn’t last much longer, the smile growing on Adora’s lips breaking it before it could deepen any further.

“Wow…,” she breathed, huffing a soft laugh as Glimmer blinked up at her almost dreamily.

“Yeah, wow…,” she agreed. “I’ve, um, kinda wanted to do that since… the day I met you.”

Adora frowned but leaned into Glimmer’s touch when the queen stroked a hand through her hair again. “The same day you took me prisoner?”

Rolling her eyes, Glimmer scoffed. “Yeah, well, you were really cute and heroic at Thaymor, okay? Forgive me for falling head over heels.”

“Okay,” Adora chirped, grinning. “I forgive you.”

Glimmer’s mouth popped open and she shoved Adora’s shoulder, nearly succeeding in throwing her off. But Adora clung like a spider monkey, giggling as they rolled over the mattress until finally, Adora ended up on her back with Glimmer perched proudly on her hips, hands pinning her shoulders.

“You’re lucky I love you,” Glimmer huffed. Her face went white a second later, eyes impossibly wide as she stared down at Adora, suddenly cognizant of her words.

Adora blinked back up at her, heart skipping a few beats before beginning to pound against her ribcage.

“I—I’m sorry. I meant, like, as a friend. You’re my best friend. Of course I love you, I just—,” Glimmer was struggling to move off of her, but Adora set her hands on her hips, holding her in place.

“Glimmer.”

Glimmer stopped struggling, peeking at Adora out of one squinted eye. Pulling her down, Adora brushed her lips lightly against Glimmer’s, breaking away just far enough to whisper, “I love you too.”

This time, when they kissed, they sunk into one another, losing themselves in every little touch and sigh. It wasn’t until Glimmer’s shirt was halfway off and Adora had tossed her pants somewhere across the room that she pulled away from where she’d been pressing soft kisses into Glimmer’s neck with a question.

“So, last night… You said that we do what normal people do now, right?”

Glimmer blinked blearily at her, obviously thrown off by the seemingly random train of thought. “Y-yes?”

“How do we acquire a baby?”

The silence that stretched between them was beginning to make Adora think she’d asked a stupid question, when suddenly Glimmer burst into a fit of laughter and Adora decided that she didn’t need an answer.

She could live listening to that sound, loving her best friend, for the rest of her normal life.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!  
> All comments/thoughts are welcome.


End file.
